Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Stephen Afrifa-Kodua | ||
Date of birth | February 19, 2001 | ||
Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario Canada | ||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Sporting Kansas City | ||
Number | 30 | ||
Youth career | |||
Rexdale SC | |||
Woodbridge Strikers | |||
College career | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2019–2022 | FIU Panthers | 63 | (23) |
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2018 | Woodbridge Strikers | 2 | (0) |
2022 | One Knoxville SC | 13 | (8) |
2023– | Sporting Kansas City | 13 | (1) |
2023– | → Sporting Kansas City II (loan) | 11 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 15, 2024 |
Stephen Afrifa-Kodua (born February 19, 2001) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer.
In 2019, Afrifa began attending Florida International University, where he played for the men's soccer team.[1] He made his collegiate debut on August 30, 2019 against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies.[2] The following day, he scored his first collegiate goal, in a victory over the James Madison Dukes.[3] After his junior season in 2021, he was named to the All-Conference USA First Team and the All-Southeast Region First Team.[4][5]
Ahead of his senior season in 2022, he was named to the United Soccer Coaches Watch List and the AAC Preseason All-Conference Team.[6][7] That season, he was twice named the AAC Offensive Player of the Week.[8][9] That season, he led the in goals scored with 10 and added four assists for a total of 24 points, which were all career highs for him.[10][11] He helped FIU to win the 2022 American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and was named the AAC Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player and was named to the All-Tournament team.[12][13] At the end of the season he was named to the All-AAC First Team,[14] All-East Region First Team,[15] and the All-America Second Team.[16][17] He was also named a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, which is awarded to the top collegiate player of the season.[18] Over his four seasons, he scored 23 goals and added 11 assists in 63 appearances.[19][20]
In 2018, Afrifa played with the Woodbridge Strikers in League1 Ontario, making two appearances.[21]
In March 2022, he joined One Knoxville SC in USL League Two.[22] He scored 10 goals for the side between the season and the playoffs.[23]
In December 2022, he was selected in the first round (eighth overall) in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by Sporting Kansas City.[24][25] In April 2023, he signed a professional contract with the club for the 2023 season, with club options from 2024 to 2026.[26][27] He made his MLS debut on May 17, in a substitute appearance against Los Angeles FC.[28] He also spent some time that season with the second team, Sporting Kansas City II, in MLS Next Pro, scoring his first professional goal on July 2, in a 7-1 victory over Whitecaps FC 2.[29][30]
On February 26, 2024, Afrifa was named to the Canada men's national soccer team provisional roster for the 2024 Copa América qualifying play-offs against Trinidad and Tobago.[31]
Afrifa is of Ghanaian descent.[32] He has a twin brother, Simon, who also played soccer with him at FIU.[23]
Club | Season | League | Playoffs | National cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Woodbridge Strikers | 2018[21] | League1 Ontario | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
One Knoxville SC | 2022 | USL League Two | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 16 | 10 | ||
Sporting Kansas City | 2023 | Major League Soccer | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
2024 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | ||
Total | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | ||
Sporting Kansas City II (loan) | 2023 | MLS Next Pro | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 1 | ||
Career total | 36 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 12 |